KillianSexton

Hey dudes/dudettes,

Im moving out to Australia on the 26th Feb (2012) and would like to gather all the helpful info i can before i embark on my journey!

basically i would like to know a little on the city itself, what activities/hobbies are there to do as I would be keen on my extreme sports (i do free running and snowboarding)

Also, id like a place sorted to kip for a few days until i get myself sorted with somewere more permanent/work!

Any helpful info would be greatly appreciated!

looking forward to hearing from you all
Killian

iamthecreaturefromuranus

No free running allowed in Sydney. It's all toll roads.

KillianSexton

BA-DUM-DUM-CHHHHHH!

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Sydney is huge mate. It's almost the same population as the Republic. There's plenty going on.. or so I'm told.

KillianSexton

So you dont actually live in Sydney...or Australia for that matter?

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Australia, yes. Sydney, no.

...but at least I didn't just ignore your post like everybody else.

JoeBloggs80

Hate to break it to you but there ain't much snow in Sydney! For snowboarding your only choice is to go somewhere like Jinderbyne, a few hours drive from Sydney. A better bet would be to go to New Zealand once you've got yourself settled.

Free Running I have no idea about - is that like Parkour? You'd be better off going to some specialist forums for that, I'm sure it goes on somehwere is Sydney.

For when you first get here, a hostel would be your best bet. Coogee and Bondi are where most of the irish go if you want to be amongst your fellow countrymen, or else Central or Kings Cross also have loads of hostels if you want to be closer to the city.

KillianSexton

Thanks, yeah I know there is no snow in Sydney! haha but i hoped there would be somewhere near enough. Yeah I have made a few contacts within the freerunning/Parkour world. Thanks for the advice on the hostels etc. that helps

How is the job market at the minute? I am qualified in media (graphics&photography) and would be aiming for that - is photography/graphic design a big deal in sydney?

Tramps_mate

Have you got a Visa?

KillianSexton

Yes visa & flights sorted.

Dentonburn

Myself and a couple of irish lads headed over on the WHV 10 years ago.
Most are now returning to Australia on 175, 176 visas. (Having returned to Ireland via the bullshit Celtic Tiger in the meantime).
Best thing for you is to avoid the gobshites (yes unfortunately irish) in Bondi Junction.

RedT

My only advice to you is to try and not get sucked into the whole Irish pubs/Bondi scene and stay stuck there! It's normal for Irish folk to seek out fellow paddys (and I speak as one!) and end up in the godforsaken Scruffy Murphys or Dirty Nellies week in week out. But a lot of the Irish here are very cynical and insular and it may ruin your perception of Sydney/Australia and the experiences you'll have here.
My niece (who is 24) arrived last August and immediately hooked up with friends from home every weekend, ending up in Coogee/Bondi/Scruffys. It was the same old, same old - why move 12,000 to hang out in an Irish pub?! Now however she's over it and has started accpeting invitations to do other things so she's finally seeing the whole of Sydney and trying new things and more importantly, loving it! There's so much to do here, make the most of it.

Btw if you're looking for hostels but not in Bondi etc, there's a couple of nice ones around Central station and a few in Glebe.

Good luck and enjoy!

Therese

SydneyBlue

Hi Killian,

I'm moving to sydney from London at the start of March. I'm mad on football and love skiing, but thinking these aren't going to be the easy option when I move. I'm thinking of swapping the skis (or in your case snowboard) for a surf board and other water based sports... maybe even sailing. Sydney Marathon is in September too which sounds amazing. I think entry starts in April if that's your sort of think.

Couldn't agree more with Red T. There's no point in moving 11000 miles to do the same thing you did back here. Australians seem incredibly friendly so I'm staying open minded and willing to try anything... within reason.

I'm personally going to live in the CBD as transport links seem pretty good.

Sorry, can't help on job availability.

timmerman

[QUOTE=JoeBloggs80;9853772]Hate to break it to you but there ain't much snow in Sydney.


Is even much snow in Ireland ??

saveme

Maybe join the YHA before you come to OZ. I stayed in their hostel at Railway Square on the corner of Pitt St & Rawson Place for a few nights in between moves and it was very good.

There's another new(ish) hostel/hotel called 'Bounce' on Chalmers St, on the eastern side of Central which looks OK (from the outside) - I've only been in the ground floor bar.

Have a look on www.seek.com.au for jobs and www.domain.com.au for accomodation.

I suppose it's only natural to want to hang out with your countrymen and women when you are in a strange country and maybe homesick. I remember doing the same thing for my first couple of years.

I know a young Irish bloke (from Belfast) and he has settled into Sydney very quickly, from that YHA hostel I mentioned where I met him first, and now he's living in a house in Surry Hills (where I live too), got a job, plenty of friends.

I like The Trinity Bar in Surry Hills, much more understated about its Gaelic/Pommie connections.

I guess if you are into snow-boarding then you can also learn to surf, do that all year round, and go down to 'The Snow' from around June to October I think, or pop over to NZ for a longer season.

There are plenty of clubs for any other sport you want to get into. The local newspapers are advertising now for the coming football season - all codes. Or just 'Google' what you are interested in - bushwalking, mountain bike riding, canyonning, diving, whatever. There's a site someone told me about the other month - 'meetups' - just 'Google' that with Sydney. My Irish friend got into gym and squash to 'kickstart' his social life.

If you are into the EPL, then many of the clubs have supporters groups here. I go to the Spurs' ones at The Triple Ace bar and I know othere clubs' fans meet at places like Cheers in George St, the sports bar at the casino in Darling Harbour?? I think I saw a bunch of Man U fans going into ?The Porterhouse? on the corner of Riley and Campbell Sts, Surry Hills? There's also The Gaelic Club in Devonshire St, Surry HIlls too, open 24X7 I thjnk now.